After having Repented from a Sin
Questioner:
During my early teenage years from an early time I committed some sins and indeed I have repented to Allaah and all praise and gratitude is to Allaah. However I still feel something about those sins in my heart and I heard about Salat ul-Tawbah (prayer of Repentance). I hope you can benefit me regarding this. May Allaah reward you with goodness.
The Answer:
‘Repentance covers up what took place before it and wipes it out and all praise is for Allaah. So it is not befitting that there remains anything in your heart regarding this.
[col type=”half”]
It is obligatory that you have good thoughts about your Lord and believe that Allaah has turned to you if you are truthful in your repentance; This is because Allaah said:
وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُون
《 And all of you beg Allaah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful.》[Noor: 31]
So Allaah connected success with repentance, whoever repents is indeed successful. Allaah Subhanahu said:
وَإِنِّي لَغَفَّارٌ لِمَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا ثُمَّ اهْتَدَى
《 And verily, I am indeed Forgiving to him who repents, believes (in My Oneness, and associates none in worship with Me) and does righteous good deeds, and then remains constant in doing them, (till his death).》 [Taha: 82]
Allaah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala is truthful in what He says and His promise.
Allaah Subhanahu said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَصُوحًا عَسَى رَبُّكُمْ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ عَنْكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَيُدْخِلَكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ
《 O you who believe! Turn to Allaah with sincere repentance! It may be that your Lord will remit from you your sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow 》 [Tahreem: 8]
When Allaah mentioned the wording ‘It may be that’ Then here it means an obligation.
Therefore, it is upon you to have good thoughts about your Lord and that He accepted your repentance If you are truthful in your repentance, regretful of what you did, abandoning the bad action, determined not to return to doing that bad action,
Then be careful of whispers. Allaah Jala wa Ala says in the hadeeth al-Qudsi:
((أنا عند ظن عبدي بي))
‘I am as my slave thinks of Me’
So it is necessary that you have good thoughts about Allaah, the Messenger -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said:
((لا يموتن أحدكم إلا وهو يحسن ظنه بالله))
‘None of you should die except that you have good thoughts about Allaah.’
Collected by Muslim in his book ‘Saheeh Muslim’.
As for Salat ul Tawbah then it is affirmed from the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- from the Hadeeth of as-Siddeeq -RadhiAllaahu anhu- that he said:
((ما من عبد يذنب ذنبا ثم يتطهر فيحسن
الطهور ثم يصلي ركعتين ثم يتوب لله من ذنبه
إلا تاب الله))
‘There is no slave of Allaah who commits a sin then performs Wudu correctly then prays two Rakah then repents for the sake of Allaah from his sin except that Allaah turns to Him.’
Success is from Allaah.
http://www.binbaz.org.sa/fatawa/66
Translated by Abbas Abu Yahya for Miraathpubs.net